At All Cost
by Raikiba
Summary: 2 kingdoms, 2 races, intertwined in an endless war. Luluko heiress to the Ailuran (were-cats) line and Suzaku the heir to the Lycan line. No one can remember how the fighting began. Can one act of kindness bring an end to this endless war.
1. Prologue

**Hi. So this is my first Code Geass fanfic. I have been wanting to write one for a while now. I wrote the prologue and posted it to see from the reviews i got if i should continue with such a story. Hope you like it. For those who have read Hawksong this story might be familiar. However, with my own twist. I normally write more than 1000 words a chapter, since this is a prologue i just wanted to let you guys know the chapters in the future will be longer of course. I also have to warn you that sometimes i don't update for a while. Since i am a university student i will be busy from time to time, sometimes weeks, even months. However, i do want to let you know i do not let a story go unfinished.**

**Full summary: Two kingdoms, two races, intertwined in an endless war. Luluko vi Britannia the last remaining heiress to the Feline line and Suzaku Kururugi last remining heir to the Canine line. No one can remember how the fighting began. Can one act of kindness of the Feline kingdom bring an end to this endless war. (lulukoXSuzaku)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass neither Hawksong.**

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Prologue

They say the first of the Ailuran (were-cats) was a woman from the Britannia family, a human who was friends with the felines. She learned to love them, learned their language and was soon gifted with their form. Thus, the first Ailuran was born.

However, it is just a myth. Few actually believe it. No record remains of her life.

No record except for the tail and cat ears that all Ailuran in their human form have. And the beautiful feline form they transformed into, which is as natural to them as when they are wearing their legs and arms.

This myth is one of the stories they hear as children, but it says nothing of reality or the hard lessons they are taught later.

Almost before a child of the Ailurans learns to run in their natural form, they learn to hate. They learn of war. They learn of the race that calls itself the lycans. They learn that they are untrustworthy, that they are liars and loyal to no one. They learn to fear the canine's eyes of the Lycan's royal family even though they will probably never see them.

What the child never learns is how the fighting began. That apparently has been forgotten. Instead the child learns that Lycan's murdered their family and loved ones. The child learns that these enemies are evil, that their ways are not of theirs and that they would kill the child if they could.

That is all the child learns.

This is all luluko vi Britannia has learned.

Days and weeks and years, and all Luluko know is bloodshed. She hum the songs her mother once sang to her and wish for the peace they promise. It's a peace her mother has never known, nor her mother before her.

How many generations? How many of their soldiers have already fallen?

And why?

Meaningless hatred: the hatred of an enemy without a face. No one knows why they fight; they only know that they will continue until they win a war which is too late to win, until they have avenged too many dead to avenge, until no one can remember peace anymore, even in songs.

Days and weeks and years.

Luluko's younger brother never returned last night.

Days and weeks and years.

She wonders how long until the assassins find her?

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**So leave reviews. Let me know what you guys think. And let me know if i should continue. ^^**


	2. Chapter 1: First Meeting

**Hi again. I have the first chapter out. Hope you guys like it. Don't be too harsh on me. Like i said this is my first code geass fanfic. The characters will be out of character if i have not mentioned it before i am warning you now. Everyone in this story is going to be out of character and there will be some original characters introduced in this chapter. Please review tell me your thoughts. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Gease.**

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**Chapter 1: First Meeting**

Luluko took a deep breath to steady her nerves and narrowly avoided retching from the sharp, well-known stench that surrounded her. The smell of hot Ailuran blood spattered on the stones, and cool Lycan blood that seemed ready to dissolve the skin off her hands if she touched it. The smell of burned hair and skin of the dead smoldered in the fire of a dropped lantern. Only the fall of rain all the night before had kept that fire from spreading through the clearing to the woods.

From the forest to her left, she heard the desperate, strangled cry of a man in pain.

She started to move toward the sound, but when she took a step through the trees in his direction, she came upon a sight that made her knees buckle, her breath freezing as she fell to the familiar body.

Lion ears non-moving, and sandy brown hair, which was swept across the boy's eyes, closed forever now but so clear in her mind. His skin was gray in the morning light, covered with a light spray of dew.

Her younger brother, her last remaining brother, was dead.

Like her sisters, her brothers and her father years ago, like her aunts and uncles and too many friends,

Rolo vi Britannia was forever gone. She stared at his still form, willing him to take a breath and open eyes whose color would mirror her own. She willed herself to wake up from this nightmare.

_"My sister and I cannot be the last." _She thought to herself.

The last two children of _Marianne_ vi Britannia, who was all the family she had left now. She wanted to scream and weep, but a Ailuran does not cry, especially here on the battlefield, in the midst of the dead and surrounded only by her guards. One does not scream or beat the ground and curse the sky. Among her kind, tears were considered a disgrace to the dead and shame among the living.

Ailuran reserve.

It kept the heart from breaking with each new death. It kept the warriors fighting a war no one could win. It kept her standing when she had nothing to stand for but bloodshed.

She could not cry for her brother, though she wanted to.

She pushed the sounds away, forcing her lips not to tremble. Only one heavy breath escaped her, wanting to be a sigh. She lifted her dry eyes to the guards who stood about her protectively in the woods.

"Take him home," She ordered, her voice wavering a bit despite her resolve.

"Princess, you should come home, too. There are no more soldiers left to heal. If your mother knows you not only heal our soldiers, but our enemies as well. She would be beyond mad."

She turned to Xingke, the captain of the most elite fighting army, and took in the worried expression in his soft brown eyes. The Siberian tiger had been her friend for years before he had been her guard. She nodded at her friend.

Another cry from the woods made Luluko freeze. She started toward it, but Xingke caught her arm just above the elbow. "Not that one, milady."

Normally she would have trusted his judgement without question, but not here on the battlefield. She had been walking these battle fields whenever she could ever since she was twelve. The thing is since young, Luluko was gifted with the art of healing. As she grew older she had put those magic skills to good use. However, her kind heart always got the best of her. She could not avert her eyes when they were in the middle of this chaos and someone was pleading, with what was probably his last breath for help.

Thus, she healed her enemies in silence when the battlefield was empty. She would cast a spell on the wounded lycans soldiers so they would not remember her. Whispered rumour attributed her power to white magic and angels.

"And why not, Xingke?"

The Siberian tiger knew he was in trouble the instant she addressed him by his full name instead of his childhood nickname of Li, but he kept on her heels as she stepped around the slam of bodies and closer to the voice. Two of his troops took their dead prince home and the rest of his troops fell back, out of sight in their second forms – tigers and lions, mostly. They took her brother home, but there was no way they were going to leave their princess alone there.

"Lulu."

In return, Luluko knew Xingke was serious when he lapsed into the informal and use her nickname, Lulu, instead of surname or a respectful title, Princess. Even when they were alone, Xingke rarely called her Luluko. It was an entreaty to their lifelong friendship when he used that nickname where someone else could hear it, and so she pushed to listen.

"That's Seiryu Kururugi. You don't want his blood on your hands."

For a moment the name meant nothing to her. With his hair streaked with blood and his expression a mask of pain, Seiryu Kururugi could have been anyone's brother, husband or son. But then she recognized the stark brown hair against the sun tanned skin, the emerald signet ring on his left hand , the wolf ears atop his head and, as he looked up, the deep emerald canine eyes that were a trademark of the Kururugi line, just as the cat like violet eyes were characteristic of her own family.

Luluko did not have the energy to rage. Every emotion she had was cloaked in the shield of reserve she had learned since she was a kitten.

Evidently the lycan prince recognized her as well, for his pleas caught in his throat, and his eyes closed.

She stepped toward him and heard a flutter of movement as Xingke moved closer, ready to intervene if the fallen man was a threat.

With all his various scratches and minor injuries, it was hard to tell where the worst damage was. She saw a broken leg, possibly a broken arm; either of those he could heal from.

She stood still over him, thinking to herself. This man was the man who had led the soldiers that had killed her brother and his guards. Should she just turn and leave and let her guards end his life? For a moment she thought of taking her knife and putting it in his heart or slitting his throat herself and ending the life this creature still held while her brother lay dead.

She went to her knees once more, this time beside the enemy. She looked at the pale face and tried to summon the fury she needed.

His eyes fluttered open and met hers. A muddy shade of green, Seiryu Kururugi's eyes were filled with pain, sorrow and fear. The fear struck her the most. This boy looked a couple of years younger than she was, too young to deserve this horror, too young to die. Luluko then thought of her little sister, especially her brother.

Bile rose in her throat. She loved her brother, but could not murder his killer. She could not look into the eyes of a boy terrified of death and shaking from pain and feel hatred. This was a life: Lycan, yes, but still a life; who was she to steal it?

And this train of thought would always repeat itself in her mind. She would always find herself on her knees next to her enemies, at first with the intent to kill, but afterwards realizing she had no right to take away their life.

As Luluko took a closer examination that was when she was able to see the wound on his stomach, where a knife had dragged itself raggedly across the soft flesh, one of the most painful of mortal blows. The attacker must have been killed before he could finish the deed.

_"Perhaps my brother had held the knife. Had he lain dying alone like this afterward?"_

She felt a sob choke her throat and couldn't stop it. Seiryu Kururugi was the enemy, but here on the battlefield he was just another brother to another sister or brother, fallen on the field. She could not cry for her own brother, he would not have wanted her to. But she found herself crying for this hated stranger and the endless slaughter that she had almost contributed to.

_This is why this stupid war goes on. Because, even when he's dying, you can only feel your hate. _She told Xingke using telepathy so that the lycan prince could not hear. Something every shape shifter can do.

"If I was in this man's place, I would pray for someone to kneel by my side. And I wouldn't care if that person was Suzaku Kururugi himself." This time she spoke out loud.

Xingke knelt awkwardly beside her. For a moment, his hand touched hers, unexpectedly. His gaze met hers, and she heard him sigh quietly with understanding.

"I know no matter what I tell you. You won't listen to me. Heal him quickly so we can get out of here alright." He whispered and gave a light smile.

Luluko turned back to the Lycan.

"I'm here: don't fret." She said as she smoothed his brown hair from Seiryu's face.

His eyes filled with tears and he muttered something that sounded like "thank you". Then he looked straight up at her and said.

"End it. Please." These words made her wince.

He thought that she was going to end his life, while actually she was going to save his life. She was not going to bother trying to explain to him what she was about to do. Because, soon he won't even remember that they ever met.

She needed to act and fast. Soon the Lycans will be coming in search for their missing prince and she does not want to be there when they find him.

Seiryu took the silence as an affirmative and closed his eyes once more waiting for the final blow.

Luluko began chanting the healing words which soon was followed by a bright light.

Instead of pain Seiryu felt a warm soothing heat coming from his wound. He opened his eyes and saw what was happening.

"What are you doing?" he asked after staring a while at the princess beyond the glowing light.

"I am healing you, so just lay back and relax." Luluko said while never taking her focus away from what she was doing, her focus was entirely on healing his fatal wound. She figured the rest he could heal on his own.

The young prince was flabbergasted. He never thought that the princess of his enemies' race would try to save his life.

While, on the other side of the battle field, not too far from where his little brother was Suzaku Kururugi was in search of his brother and any remaining lycans body dead or alive.

"Search for my brother, he must be somewhere around here. And gather the remaining bodies, and bring them to the kingdom."

Suzaku stared across the remainder of the battlefield. Blood and lifeless body lay dead everywhere.

_"When will this meaningless war come to an end?"_ He closed his eyes at his thought. _"Brother please be alive."_

Suzaku looked towards the sky trying to reach out to his brother with his mind. But, there was nothing.

_"He is probably too weak or dead."_

It seemed like hours had passed, Suzaku was just standing there in the middle of the battle field still trying to contact his brother with no luck. He really hoped his brother was not dead.

Suzaku was interrupted from his thoughts by one of his soldiers.

"My lord, we have found your brother. But, it seems we are to late the Ailurans has found him before us."

Suzaku's mind went blank and on instinct he began running in the direction his men pointed to. He transformed into his second form a huge magnificent chocolate brown dire wolf; however, unlike the normal dire wolfs whose legs are short and are not really meant for running. His legs were steadier and longer, among his kind he is known as the fastest of his people and runs and fights with grace.

As he got closer he noticed three figures, he saw his brother lying defenceless against a tree trunk and a woman hunched over him and a strange light in between them and a man standing behind the woman.

_"What are they doing? Those bastards." _Suzaku did not think he just acted, and lunged for the woman.

Xingke heard something coming up from behind and just in the nick of time he was able grab his princess and shoves them out of the way, of the Lycans attack. But, it was still a little too late. The lycans claw had successfully nicked Luluko's left side.

Luluko tried to hold in her scream of pain, but failed. She held her left side trying to stop the bleeding. It was pretty deep, but if it had gone any deeper it could have damaged an organ.

Xingke placed his princess behind him as they both waited for the next attack to come. Where they once were, they saw a huge brown dire wolf standing protectively over the young prince.

Luluko knew right away who the dire wolf was after seeing the same green emerald eyes. It was Suzaku Kururugi, who came to rescue his little brother.

_Are you ok my brother? _Suzaku never lift his gaze off his enemy while he spoke telepathically with his brother. He was not going to let his guard down.

_Brother you came?_

_Of course I did I was not going to let you get your sorry ass killed out here. I would not hear the end of it from mother. _Suzaku was trying to sound sarcastic, but failed. He was so worried, but of course his pride would not let him show it. Especially amongst his enemies.

Since, the dire wolfs arrival. Silence had befallen in between the four. The four now only staring at each other, no words being exchanged; only waiting for the other to attack or make the first move. After awhile, Xingke's troops had jumped out of the trees flanking their commander and princess in their second form. At the same time wolves had appeared on the other side flanking there two princes.

Luluko hated where things might be going. She already witnessed enough murder in one day. And now she was going to be part of one. She was not going to let that happen. She knew someone had to speak up first before there was going to be any more bloodshed.

"Don't attack! There has been enough bloodshed in one day." Luluko was the one who broke the silence.

"Just now I know it may look like I was hurting your brother, but I was not, I was trying to help him." While she said that she stared into the green eyes of the dire wolf hoping to come to some sort of understanding.

Suzaku was staring into the princess eyes. Even though, it looked like she spoke the truth. He was convinced that she was lying, it's was natural instinct not to believe anything the Ailurans had to say. He had learned that the hard way and he was not going to make the same mistake. He was about to growl a command to attack, but was cut off.

_Brother she speaks the truth. _ Seiryu said to his brother still lying on the floor.

_Lies brother I cannot believe that, that _Ailuran_ women, especially their princess at that would get herself dirty to help her enemy. _Suzaku growled with disbelief.

_I know it is hard to believe brother even for me but she speaks the truth. If not for her I would have been dead brother. I am not saying I am grateful brother, but one thing I do agree with her that there has been enough bloodshed in one day. _

Suzaku turned towards his brother and made eye contact seeing the plea in his brother's eyes to go home. He was in pain and he just wanted to go home. This was enough to convince the prince.

And once where the dire wolf stood was replaced with the crown prince of the lycans. He was standing with his back to Luluko. He bent down and began to grab his brother. Careful, avoiding the major injury. And then he turned staring back at her.

"I agree, there has been enough bloodshed for one day. Let us just go our separate ways back without any fighting agreed." Mostly regarding Luluko when he spoke.

Everyone was about to reject, but Luluko thought otherwise.

"Agreed." She was standing still clutching her left side.

She was looking at the little brother. She was able to stop the bleeding of the wound, but still it was far from being fully healed. She knew at least he was not in danger of dying anymore. She felt a little bit uneasy that she was not able to cast her spell to make the boy forget that she helped him. She just hoped the whispers do not reach her mother's ears. Her people would think of her as a traitor.

_Lu, but how will we know that as soon as we have our backs turned they won't come after us._ Xingke never moved his gaze from the lycans.

For some reason Luluko could see in those emerald green eyes that even though they are eternal enemies, for just this once they could put their eternal hatred aside and come to a certain truce for now.

"Let's just go, Xingke." And without any arguments Xingke commanded his troops to fall back. At the same time Suzaku also told his pack the same thing.

And both of them going their separate ways.

For now.

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**Hope you guys liked it . i will try to have the next chapter out. I there are any Inuyasha fans you should check out my Inuyasha fanfic called My Savior.**

**Please leave a review. Till next time.**


	3. Chapter 2: Sorrow for a loved one

**Hi everyone thanks for the amazing reviews. Sorry for taking long with the update, i was focusing on my other stories. I hope u guys will like this chapter. Some may want the story to progress faster, others want longer chapters. But for now this chapter will have to do. Got midterms to study for. But once my midterms are over i will try to update faster. **

**Well that is all for now enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: i do not own code geass.**

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Chapter 2: Sorrow for a loved one

Luluko's mother, Lady Marianne vi Britania, was like a bronze statue as she watched the pyre consume yet another of her children on Mourner's Rock. Fire light gave a copper cast to her fair skin, the shadows matching the onyx of her hair and her violet dry eyes, her ears gracefully up on her head.

Little Nunnally was beside Luluko trying her best to hold in her tears. Knowing Ailurans are not meant to show emotions.

Xingke was also there in the background keeping an eye out for Luluko ready to catch her before she faints from fatigue.

Earlier the Royal Guards had been present; they had brought the body here and built the pyre. But as the fire snapped in its last moments, only the family of the deceased remained. It made it brutally plain how few of them were left.

Marianne and Luluko held silent vigil until the last ember had turned gray and the wind had whipped the ashes into the sky.

When the silence was broken, Marianne's words were even and clear, betraying none of the pain or anger that she must have felt. "Luluko, you're not to go back to the fields," she commanded. "I know your view on the subject. I also know you will be queen in barley a month. Your people need you."

Among the Ailurans, the heir traditionally became queen when she carried her first child. That did not seem a likely occurrence for her anytime soon, but her mother decided it was time for power to change hands despite tradition.

"Yes, Mother."

Luluko had been preparing to take the throne ever since her older sisters died when she was ten, but her mother had rarely approved of her methods. Luluko knew going to the fields was dangerous, as was visiting anyone outside the heavily defended Fildae's Den, but how could she rule her people if she refused to leave the safety of her home? She could not know them if she never faced the world they lived in, and that included spattered blood of the fields.

For now, she held her tongue. This was not the time to argue. Especially when she almost lost her own life just a few days ago. She, herself, was surprised that she was capable of standing at that moment. But, half way through the ceremony, she started to feel dizzy again. It was probably a sign to go back to her quarters and rest.

She remembered how awful she was two days ago.

_As soon as Luluko and her men were safely away from their enemy. The pain in her left side began to burn even more, making her fall to the ground. _

_"Princess, are you okay?" __Xingke__ was by her side in a matter of seconds. She could not remain conscious much longer. The poison that the lycans carry within their claws was now starting to take effect. If they did not hurry and treat her quickly she could be dead in minutes._

_'I can't die. Not yet!' was the last thing that went through her mind before she lost consciousness. _

_Later, when Luluko awoke, she was a bit startled and disoriented, but after she took in her surroundings, noticing it was her room, she relaxed . Not after a few seconds had passed she tried to move, and a shock of pain in her left side was the only response to her movement. Anything else did not want to obey. She felt like lead. Also she felt sticky and suffocated. _

_ She tried to remember the last thing that happened before she lost consciousness. Ah! Yes she remembers the poison was kicking in. _

_It explains why she was paralyzed on the bed and felt horrible. She was suffering the aftermath of the poison. She must have had a fever and sweated all the poison out of her system after taking the antidote. She knew she was lucky. Many of her people had died from that poison. Until she had found a cure, she had lost so many of her dear friends to that poison. _

_But it was not as simple as that, even thought she had discovered an antidote for her people, who at the time rejoiced for the discovery, she now needed to rest. She can sense that the poison is not fully out of her system. This won't be the last of her fevers and she knew she would be stuck to this bed at least for two days writhing in pain. _

_By the time she found sleep that night again, back in the Fildae's Royal Den, her throat was tight with too many tears unshed, screams unuttered and prayers whose words she could never seem to find. _

Luluko shook her head trying to get rid of the horrible memories of the pain. She was still in pain and could barely move, but the ceremony of her brother could wait no longer. Apparently her mother wanted her to be there for the ceremony. She wanted her to have the chance to say goodbye to her beloved brother. Xingke had to carry her here.

Marianne left before Luluko and Nunnally left. When she shifted and stretched her legs, a black and orange mist seemed to have formed around her, half a dozen tigers and jaguars guarding her even here in their own kingdom.

As soon as she was out of site Luluko turned toward Nunnally who began to let out her tears. Nunnally was on her knees crying. Luluko wanted to bend down but she could not risk reopening her wounds. Coming out of the shadows, Xingke was at once at Luluko's side helping her to bend down.

_"Thought you may needed a hand there."_ Xingke told her telepathically.

Luluko just gave him a half hearted smile. She was more preoccupied with her little sister.

As Luluko was finally at Nunnally's side she leaned into her sister gently. Luluko stayed silent and just let her wept. Nunnally felt safe with her sister and knew she would not be reprimand for letting her emotions get the better of her. Long ago the sisters made a pact that they would never hide anything from each other.

Thus, there were no secrets between them, no unhidden emotions; they made this pact in this time of war, because it was good to have at least one shoulder to cry on.

"Lulu, why did big brother have to die?" Nunnally said between her crying.

Luluko did not know how to answer that question. She thought best not to answer.

Nunnally continued.

"Why is this war still going on? We do not even know the reason anymore why we are fighting the Lycans? Lulu please don't leave me to. What I am most afraid of is being left alone, behind."

Luluko knew exactly what would calm her down. The song she often sang for those she could not save after she tried her best to heal them. And so she began to sing. The songs were about freedom. They were about children, able to play and sing and dance without worrying that they would be harmed.

The song she loved most of all, though was the one her mother used to sing to her when she was a child, before she had been given round-the-clock nurses, maids, servants and guards. It was from long before her mother had become a distant queen with too much dignity to show affection even to her last remaining daughters. Luluko would have given up all the pampering and all the respect she had earned those past few years if she could have climbed into her mother's arms and gone back to a time when she was still too young and innocent to understand that her father, her sisters and now her little brother had been butchered in this war, which had been going on so long, nobody could tell anymore what it was about or who started it.

Luluko had heard of Ailurans s and Lycans who lived five hundred years or more, but no one did that now. Not in a time when both sides slaughtered each other so frequently, and so efficiently.

The only two male children left to inherit the Lycans throne was Suzaku Kururugi and Seiryu Kururugi. They are creatures whose name was rarely mentioned in polite Ailurans's society, and if they died… hopefully the murderous royal house of the Lycans would die with them.

But, now that her sister lay before her crying she could not muster any anger towards them. All she could do was sing gently the old childhood lullaby Forlorn Hope, the one her mother sung to her long ago.

_Fall asleep in my arms dear child _

_It's what these arms are for_

_Stay by my side until dawn light_

_Let no harm come to you_

_Sing to you a lullaby_

_You could learn if you'd like_

_ When you know the melody_

_You could lull yourself to sleep_

_When you awake my dear one_

_May you grow in wisdom and strength_

_May you speak peace forever _

_And leave his lies in your step_

_Sing to you a lullaby_

_You could learn if you'd like_

_When you know the melody_

_You could lull yourself to sleep_

_Lull yourself to sleep_

_Lull yourself to sleep…_

After the song Nunnally was fast asleep in the arms of Luluko. Luluko wanted to laugh. Over time Nunnally had started a bad habit of falling asleep when she felt all her worries were gone. That mostly took place in Lulu's arms. So she could not really blame the child, she encouraged it after all. Not few seconds later as if on cue, just when Luluko wanted to leave, Xingke was already at her side, and another guard on her other side ready to take Nunnally out of her arms.

The trusted guard carried Nunnally in his arms and began walking towards the Royal Den. Xingke was about to do the same.

"Xingke you know you don't have to do that, I can walk." Of course that was a lie. Due to her wounds Luluko was even barely able to stand let alone walk or even shape shift. But who would want to admit that being carried around was embarrassing. It was understandable for Nunnally since she was fourteen, but a women of her age, eighteen, was pushing it.

Xingke laughed and ignored her statement. He knew she was lying, seeing the blush on her face. "C'mon princess you have nothing to be ashamed about." And with that he gathered Luluko in his arms and began to head to the Royal Den.

It was late when Luluko returned to the Royal Den, the tower that housed what was left of her family, the highest-ranking soldier and the most prominent artisans, merchants and speakers of the Ailuran's court.

With her mother's command, the seven floors of the Den had changed from her safe home to her prison. Instead of being a refuge from the blood and pain, the walls were suddenly a trap keeping her from reality. However, at least she was able to attend to the wounded.

With Xingke standing near in case of trouble that never occurred inside, Luluko sighed looking over the multiple faces of injured Ailurans. She had done all she could. Xingke now came to her side and she leaned into him so he could transport her somewhere where she could rest awhile before she turns in for the night.

Xingke brought her to the first floor, fifteen feet above the ground-level courtyards and training grounds. She watched the last of the merchants pack their belonging, some grateful to have rooms in the higher levels of the Den, but most were wary of the world they would be returning to when they left.

Market lasted from dawn to dusk. Merchants and storytellers would gather on the first floor, along with common people, and during the day the Queen and her heirs—her two heirs' left- would go among them and listen for complaints. The artisans had nearly been strangled out of the Ailurans society by the war, but Luluko's mother has started encouraging the ones who remained to show their wares. The Ailurans market was famous for its craftsmanship, and losing those arts completely would have been tragic.

Along with crafts, custom weapons and other fine luxuries, stories and gossip could be found at the market. This was where merchants, farmers and anyone else who did not fight hear all the details.

Luluko has seen enough lycan soldiers fallen beside her own over the years, and now, with the image of her brother and that of Seiryu Kururugi branded into her mind, she was reminded once again that the Lycan's were just as mortal as her own kind. However, fear makes all enemies more dangerous, and the stories told in the marketplace on this night were as sickening as ever.

At least they did not heard how she would help heal the enemy, if not she would never hear the end of it from her people and her mother. However, she heard stories of parents who lamented their dead children. On young man breaking down in tears, a display of emotion quite unseemly in the Ailuran society, as he recalled his father's death. Gossip traveled like a rive: how the Lycans fought like the demons that legends said they had taken their power from, how their eyes could kill you if you looked into them long enough, how…

Luluko tried to stop listening.

Her people greeted her with polite words, just as they had many times before. Another leopard child was dead, along with a dozen of the Royal Guard, a score of tigers- another team, just below her personal guards in rank—eighteen common soldiers who had joined the fray when they saw their prince fall. So many dead, and nothing had changed.

"Milady?"

Luluko turned toward the merchant who had spoken, a metalsmith of good reputation. "Can I help

you?"

He was wringing his hands, but stopped as soon as she spoke, his gaze dropping. When he looked up again, his face was composed. He held out a package carefully wrapped in soft leather, placing it on the counter for her to see. "My pair bond was among the Tigers who fell yesterday. I had been working on this for her, but if milady Luluko would wear it, I would be honored."

The gift he offered was a slender boot knife, etched with simple yet beautiful symbols of faith

and luck. She accepted the blade, hoping she would never need it, but saying aloud, "It is lovely. I'm sure

your pair bond would appreciate that it is not going to waste."

The merchant replied, "Perhaps it might protect you when you go out again."

"Thank you, sir."

"Thank you, milady."

She turned from him with a sigh that she was careful not to let him hear. It was already too late for either side to win; this war needed to stop. Whatever the cost.

_'If only I knew how to end it.'_

"Luluko?"

Luluko knew the young woman who approached her now from when they had both been children. Cecilia was an eternal romantic, with grand dreams that Luluko wished she could make come true. The last time Luluko had heard from her had been a few years before, when she had just been apprenticed by a seamstress.

Luluko's smile was genuine as she greeted C.C. warmly calling her by her old nickname. "C.C., good evening. What brings you to the Den?"

"I'm finally allowed to sell my work in the market," she returned brightly.

"I was in charge of the shop today." The smile she wore faded to a somber expression.

"I wanted to tell you… I heard what happened yesterday. With Seiryu Kururugi." She shook her head.

"I know none of this is proper to say, but I like to think we were friends when we were children?" I nodded, and she continued.

"When I heard what had happened, it gave me hope. If the heir to the throne can put aside the past and

just try to save lives no matter who or what they are… perhaps anything is possible." She looked away, suddenly awkward.

"Thank you, C.C." The prospect made Luluko wanted to laugh and to cry; she settled on a tired smile. Luluko did meet her gaze; Luluko hoped C.C. saw her gratitude. "Run with grace."

"You as well, milady." They parted ways, and now Xingke moved to her side. As always, he knew when she needed to escape and rest. His presence would dissuade anyone else from approaching before she could do so. Luluko wondered if he had heard C.C.'s words, but they did not speak before Xingke took her to her quarters.

Luluko told Xingke to stop at the fifth floor, where his flight was quartered; and that she could continue on her own to her room on the next floor. Xingke, of course, refused knowing full well if he placed her on her feet she would fall on her bottom because she was so tired, and her injury still needed to heal properly. As they passed the door to her brother's quarters, she whispered a final goodbye just before they had entered her own.

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**Hope you all had liked the chapter. please leave reviews to let me know what you guys think. it will help me to write stuff you guys would want in such a story. well till next time XD. ttly**


	4. Chapter 3: Truce

**Hi guys sorry for the delay. I am in Japan currently on exchange program and been either studying my butt off or travel while I can before my 4 month time limit runs out XD. Hope you guys like the latest chapter. there are some changes I have made in the chapters before. However, they are minor changes. Such as:**

***the name of the feline race from now on will be known as Ailuran. Finally found the official name for were-cats, like werewolves who are known as the lycanthropes or i.e lycan**

**overall that is all I have to say. Hope you all like the latest chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Code Geass**

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Chapter 3: Truce

_The first time Luluko ever went out onto the battle field she was a child, unversed yet in politics. The first thing that interested her in the court was a representative from the __Nimravidae__, a group not allied with her mother, the Queen. He was a saber tooth boy only a few years older than her, twelve to her eight. Luluko was too young to know that her playmate made her mother very nervous, or that he was in the Den for any reason different from the other children's. Too young to know that he represented an empire older and stronger than her own, without whose support her people would never be able to keep their heads above water when fighting the lycans._

_She was just a child, with no responsibilities, no understanding of politics, war or pain. So she remembered the saber tooth very fondly, as her last memory of childhood. One of her tutors stepped out to speak with her mother in the hallway. "Milady Marianne, have you seen _Xingke_?" Luluko looked up, hearing the name of her friend despite the tutor's attempt at discretion. "I'm worried that he's gone out to the field… to look for his father."_

_She was too young to understand death, but she understood that her friend was upset and so she had to find him. She stood to sneak out before her mother returned. Luluko had known Li all eight years of her life, since he was three years old and she was newly born. He would listen to Luluko more than anyone else. The saber tooth tried to stop Luluko from leaving, but he had no authority over her and she refused to listen to reason._

_Her first breath of death hit her as she flew over the field. Yes, she knew of the war, but she had never seen the carnage up close, smelled the blood before… and in the middle of it all, her friend Li, hunched protectively over his father's body, crying._

_She landed at his side._

_She hardly had a chance to speak before the lycan appeared. Li pushed Luluko behind him; they scuffled, and she saw the fangs slice into her friend's skin. _

Someone else attacked Luluko from behind, but when she fought back, she was struggling with something as harmless as a wool blanket. She realized suddenly that she was dreaming a scene she relived in her mind almost every night. She had been knocked out; Li had saved her life. His brush with death had changed him, forcing him to grow up faster. After that day he had made a point of training. He had joined the Ailurans soldier training program when he was thirteen and the Royal guards when he was fifteen, and he had been the captain of that group for three years now.

Despite knowing she was asleep, she could not wake. Lucid dreams had been a curse of hers for years.

Luluko walked the battlegrounds in her mind, through the woods and fields that she had been drawn to ever since Li's father died. Pain, bloodshed, war. They had stained her that day.

She walked from the dream of Xingke to one of her pair bond (mate), the man who had been promised as her protector when they were both barely more than infants. Rai had frightened Luluko a little when she was a girl; he had seemed so cold and strong. The blood she saw in her dreams, he saw every day as a soldier. Yet Luluko learned to understand him, and then she learned to love him — just in time to lose him, like she had lost so many others.

She pushed the phantom away and found herself face to face with the emerald eyes of Suzaku Kururugi, the creature whose kind was responsible for every loss her people suffered, every tear she held inside. Her breath halted in her lungs; her blood turned to ice. She felt her throat constrict as she tried to scream —

"Luluko, are you all right?"

She opened her eyes and pain shot from her side she had jerked to fast from her nightmare and opened her wound in the process. She was bleeding heavily again. A wound of a lycans claw is one of the deadliest and hardest wounds to heal from. One of the longest to heal from. And with her jerky movements she just happened to make things worse.

Luluko looked around to find Li searching the room for whatever had frightened her. His thick black hair had been hastily pulled back from his face as if he had been roused from sleep. He was not supposed to be on duty until this afternoon, but Luluko was grateful he had been the one to hear her shout.

"Yes," She said, but the trembling in her voice belied her answer.

"Dream?" he asked. Li was the only one to whom she confided her nightmares.

Luluko nodded.

"I think I just re opened my wound." She said, while Li came towards her bed to examine the damage she has done.

"Yes it seems you have. We need to get this re-stitched and fast before you lose any more blood." Li grabbed the closest cloth he could find and applied it to her wound. He then left to fetch the royal doctor.

The pain was too much then she can bear. She was happy once the doctor was done with her.

"Princess, you should try to not make sudden movements and stay in bed. You have prolonged the healing process and have caused further damage to your wound. Not all the poison has left your system, my lady. You won't be able to walk for a couple of days and at nights you are likely to experience some more fever attacks."

Luluko sighed. She was not surprised that is what she tells her own patients. As she turned she saw Xingke with an angry expression on his face.

_It's not your fault Li. Don't beat yourself up about it._

_If I just acted in time. I could have prevented him from nicking your side. _

Luluko gave up trying to argue with the stubborn man. She was too tired to care.

She looked out her window. Morning was here, and then it just dawned on her. If Li was there as well, then there was something important to be done.

The doctor had left them. And then it was quiet in the room.

Xingke cleared his throat. "Lu I know that the doctor said that you're supposed to be bed ridden. However, your mother wants you to meet her downstairs. I think you should tell your mother how serious your wound is."

"No." Luluko's response came without even a hint of hesitation. When she had returned from the field two days ago, injured. Xingke had known that she did not wanted to worry her mother with her grievous wound. Thus, they curved the truth a bit when they reported the news to her mother.

Thus, when she needed to move around Xingke would carry her where she needs to go. But, once in public she would put on a brave face and walk on her own.

Xingke saw he could not change her mind.

"Fine. I shall call a maid to help you get dressed." He finished his reply with a sigh and headed to find a maid.

Not too soon after he left a maid came in to help her change quickly. Her mother did not summon her for meaningless trifles. She stepped slowly outside her room just outside the door to find the Felidae's Den swarming with Ailuran soldiers. In addition, to Xingke, there were five other guards next to her door alone. Out on the field, she understood this kind of caution. Inside the Den, it was unheard of.

"My mother isn't hurt?" Luluko asked with alarm, her mind latching on to the worst possible reason for this concern.

"She's safe," Xingke answered, though he didn't sound as if he was completely certain. "The rest of the clowder is with her."

Of course. "Then why the sudden jump in security?" And, before he could answer, "And who in the world is guarding the outside?"

"There are about two dozen soldiers ringing the courtyard, and another few dozen in the surrounding land," one of the other guards assured Luluko.

"They're good fighters. As for your other question," Xingke answered, "we seem to have a visitor, which is why your mother requested your presence in the first place."

Xingke gathered Luluko up in his arms and began walking through the Den. Luluko took the opportunity to take a better look around the Den and at all the other guards faces.

She had become used to having one or two guards at her sides, occasionally more if she was farther from the Den on one of the fields. Having this many was unnerving, even though the Royal guards were trained to work smoothly. They kept out of her way and out of each other's, but the press of their bodies in the hall was oppressive in itself. What kind of visitor required so many members of the royal guard to be in the loftiest halls of the Fildae's Den?

No one so much as got inside unnoticed. To get all the way to her chamber would be impossible.

Her alarm jumped again when she realized that the guards who had preceded her had changed shape to jump to the ground floor. As a deterrent to those who did not have the grace of jump as the Ailurans, like the lycans and other enemies, there were no stairs from the ground to the first floor. Aside from criminals and traitors, even the lowliest Felis catus commoner was met in the second-floor reception hall.

The reason behind this is that the Lycanthropes and the Ailuranthropes (were cats) are both known for their speed on the ground; however, the difference is that the Lycans are more known for their raw physical strength and the Ailurans are known for their agility both on the ground and air. Thus, even if by some chance that the Lycans were to break into Den, it would be hard for them to make it up to the second floor even in their second form.

Luluko was pulled out from her thoughts when Xingke landed gracefully on the first floor without much effort and without jarring her wound at all. He changed back from his second form and they continued and this time she can tell that he would not put her down until the last possible second. Which she was grateful for.

"Who is this visitor?" Luluko inquired softly. "Suzaku Kururugi himself?"

Xingke did not joke back with her. Luluko's mother was standing with her back to them as they entered the enclosed courtyard.

Before reaching all the way Xingke placed Luluko on her feet. Luluko needed to act as if her wound was not as extensive as it actually was.

As her feet touched the ground, her world started turn. She leaned into Xingke's, he was still holding on to her not wanting to let her go. He did not even wanted her downstairs. After a few second Luluko got her bearings and felt more confident that she can stand on her own. She took a few steps forwards surprised that she did not fall flat on her face.

Xingke had let her go reluctantly and they both now faced forwards heading towards Marianne.

As Luluko approached her mother she saw the reason why she was summoned. The visitor was seated cross-legged on the ground nearby, with her eyes closed, her tail in her lap, and her ears on top of her head pointed down as if in a submissive pose taking a nap. Four of the Ailurans guards surrounded the visitor, showing just how afraid the Ailurans were to have the visitor near their queen.

Even from across the courtyard Luluko could recognize the lycan's tail and ears, black hair, and fair skin. The visitor was a female lycan. As Luluko closer she saw the female lycans silky black dress with the white emblem sewn onto the low neckline between her breasts. On her left hand she wore an onyx signet ring.

Either the female lycan heard their quiet approach, or she sensed them some other way, for the female lycan, ears twitched and opened her eyes just then. Suddenly Luluko's tranquil, violet gaze was met directly by the visitor's harmonic nature one, the color reminiscent of pure polished emeralds. Luluko looked away quickly, a shudder twisting its way up her spine.

"She's here in peace," Luluko's mother assured her immediately, but Luluko could hear the "or so she said" in her voice even though she didn't speak it aloud.

"Kaguya, may I introduce my heir and daughter, Luluko vi Britannia? Luluko, this is Kaguya Kururugi, younger cousin to Suzaku."

Luluko's skin chilled just hearing the name, but she answered the introduction politely.

_What is this creature doing here?_ Luluko wondered to herself.

She was willing to heal Seiryuu Kururugi on the field, but he had been severely wounded and dying. Seeing Kaguya, alive and well and dangerous, Luluko felt less charitable.

No doubt the guards had searched Kaguya and taken away what weapons they could — probably none, if this ruse was meant to gain their trust. But everyone knew you couldn't disarm a Kururugi unless you took its life. Their emerald eyes alone were a weapon, not to mention their poison in their claws, which could kill if they struck in full lycan form, and which would kill more slowly but more painfully if they did so in a less pure form.

Kaguya Kururugi spoke first, for which Luluko was grateful. If she had opened her mouth, Luluko probably could have caused a war with what she had said, if it had not been too late already.

"We want peace," Kaguya said softly, not rising. In case she tried to stand, the guards were prepared to kill her instantly.

"We're tired of the fighting, and the killing." Someone grumbled; Luluko thought it might be Xingke. Luluko's mother directed a frosty glare at someone behind her.

Kaguya also looked up at whoever had made the sound, and her voice rose with anger as she argued, "I have lost my father to this war. Two uncles. Three brothers. A few years ago, I lost a sister and a niece at the same time when some ailuran soldier put a knife into her belly and killed both her and the child she was carrying. My aunt is a good woman, but she is only the wife of our former Alpha King and the people will not follow someone who is only Kururugi by name. They need their Alpha king. And Suzaku is the only one who meets the standards of our people. Seiryuu is to gentle to be king." Her voice quieted again.

"Excuse me, if we don't completely trust you, Kaguya," Marianne said simply. "But your kind has not been known to uphold its word in the past."

Kaguya lowered her head, and Luluko could tell she was trying to speak around her anger. "Seiryuu Kururugi almost died two nights ago," she answered quietly. She looked at Luluko as she said the words.

Luluko looked away. Just from the stare Luluko could guess that Kaguya knew the truth. But, then she looked back again. Refusing to be ashamed at what she had done.

"He is only fourteen, and he nearly died. I came here, without weapons, with the hope that someone might listen. Suzaku wanted to come himself, but my aunt argued that you would sooner put a knife in his back than listen to anything he had to say. And do you know what he replied? He said, 'Let them. If they do, someone might finally be satisfied that they've won this war, and then maybe it will end.' "

Luluko barely managed to hold her tongue in response to that claim. Suzaku Kururugi was what the lycans called a Beta, the prince first in line to the throne. Now that his father was dead, he was all but king, Alpha. It was hard for Luluko to imagine the leader of the lycans saying anything remotely tolerable, much less blatantly self-sacrificing.

Anyone who had spent enough time in the court had heard about the exploits of Suzaku Kururugi. In battle, it was said, he fought with single-minded fury, and a speed and raw strength no Ailuran could match. He could catch the eye of his opponent, and that warrior would drag his knife across his own throat in a killing blow. He fought beside his people in battle and had never been wounded. Whispered rumor attributed his power to black magic and demons.

"And what exactly is… Suzaku… proposing?" Marianne asked, hesitating for a fraction of a second before she spoke the name, as if worried the word alone would soil the Fildae's Den.

"A truce," Kaguya answered instantly. "Suzaku, Seiryuu, their mother and I would like to meet with you, your heir, and whatever others you think necessary."

"And just where is this meeting to take place?" Marianne asked skeptically.

"Before the Avians Court," Kaguya answered softly. She took a breath and then explained, "The lycans have been fighting so long, their only reason for continuing now is to avenge the loss of so many of their kin to ailuran fighters. They don't trust the Ailurans, and I think it would take quite a show of good faith from your people to convince ours that the Queen of the Ailuran is as honest in her desire to stop the fighting as their Alpha Queen and Beta are."

Luluko bit her tongue to keep from demanding just what kind of "show of good faith" Kaguya was suggesting. When she spoke, Marianne said much the same. "I take it Suzaku sent you as a show of faith from your side," her mother said. "What is he asking in return?"

Kaguya shook her head.

"Only that you agree to meet with us on peaceful lands before the Avian Court. We would like to appeal to the Queen for support of the peace talks, and whatever is involved in those."

Her mother looked at Luluko. "Luluko?"

Luluko started to object instantly… but then she remembered Seiryuu Kururugi's blood on her hands.

She remembered the battlefields, the reek and the wail of war. She remembered her own pair bond, Rai, who had once been promised as her husband. And her own brother, who had been no older than then her he had taken with him into death.

So Luluko's words when she answered her mother were soft, but not without emotion. "I do not trust them, Mother, but if there is any chance that they might be honest, that Suzaku Kururugi might want peace…" She took a breath, because the very thought that Suzaku would ever waste a breath for peace was unnerving.

"Then I believe we should take it." More quietly, she added, "You know that I would do anything within my power to stop this war."

Her mother nodded. "Xingke, your thoughts?"

The leader of the royal guards paused, looking at Kaguya. "I don't like it, but the Avian lands are neutral territory. Even a wolf would be mad to try to ambush us there; the Queen would tear the lycans apart."

"Very well, then." Marianne gestured for Kaguya to stand and held up a hand to silence the guards' protests.

"Kaguya, please relay the message to your… prince that we would be willing to meet him."

"Thank you, Marianne," Kaguya said warmly, informally enough that Luluko saw a guard wince.

Kaguya looked directly at Luluko as she added, "Suzaku asked me to convey our willingness to meet any day, any time, as soon as is possible. Please speak a date, and I will tell my cousin."

Again, Luluko's mother conferred briefly with Xingke, and then she answered, "In two days, on the first showing of the moon. It will take that long for us to organize our people."

If the lycan's left the instant Kaguya returned to the palace and were willing to ride their horses or run themselves in their second form to exhaustion, their party would probably make the deadline. The lycans would not have time to plan a sneak attack before the meeting.

Kaguya curtsied, her face showing no annoyance at the rush her mother was pressing her people with. "Thank you, Marianne, Luluko. My best wishes go with you both until then."

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**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Stay tuned for the next shall be out sooner then you may expect. Please review and let me know how you all thought of the latest chapter.**

**till next time XD**


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